The John Brooks Recovery Center (JBRC) was founded in Atlantic City during January of 1969 (as NARCO, Inc.) by a group of six Atlantic City residents with the assistance of the Episcopalian Diocese of New Jersey and the Division of Urban Concerns. John Brooks a recovering heroin addict and ex-convict is usually identified as the driving force and subsequent Executive Director for many years. At that time JBRC was an outpatient, storefront treatment center for drug abusers.

The primary mission was to provide quality treatment for minority, indigent drug abusers within the area of Atlantic City. A secondary but very vital mission was to provide prevention and education in the area for groups such as churches, schools, social clubs and civic organizations.​

In August of 1970, NARCO received its first grant of $57,940 from the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs. This grant, along with $35,000 provided by the Episcopalian United Thanks Fund, enabled NARCO to expand its treatment capacities to a 24,000 square foot building. NARCO received immeasurable support from local labor unions, businesses and local municipalities in its efforts to convert this building, once an ice rink, into a residential treatment center for drug addiction.

1971, NARCO applied to the National Institute of Mental Health, a division of Health, Education and Welfare, for an eight-year grant, which was approved and initiated on October 1, 1971. The agency received over eight million dollars over the life of this contract to provide treatment for drug abusers in Atlantic City and its environs. Subsequent agreements were also signed with federal, state and county agencies to provide these services. In September 1976, the agency purchased the building at 1315 Pacific Avenue, which presently houses the men’s residential program.

1998 the building at 20 South Tennessee Avenue was purchased and renovated to house the women’s residential services (29 Beds) and administrative offices.

2005 further renovations were completed on the first floor creating an Outpatient Center for our Women’s Day program and an afternoon coed adult outpatient program. At that time the administrative offices were consolidated and moved across the street to leased space on the second floor of 19 South Tennessee Avenue.

September of 2007 we were awarded a $1.2 million contract from the Division of Addiction Services to provide mobile outpatient methadone/suboxone services with counseling for adult IV opiate addicts.

December 2007 to honor our founder, John Brooks, we changed our name from the Institute for Human Development to the John Brooks Recovery Center.

January of 2008 we were awarded a contract for $871,000 to work in partnership with another Atlantic County agency, CODI, to provide supportive housing and case management services for 31 IV drug users.

During 2014 we entered into two separate collaborative projects with Jewish Family Services; the provision substance abuse counseling and discharge planning for inmates at the Atlantic County jail and the provision of access to substance abuse treatment at the Atlantic City Single Point of Entry for homeless individuals.

August of 2014 we were awarded funds to conduct training in Opiate Overdose reversal and to distribute Naloxone kits to the general public.

November 21, 2014 the CRDA reached a relocation agreement with JBRC to fund the renovation of two sites for our Outpatient, Admissions, and Administrative services. One site is in Atlantic City and the other is in Pleasantville. They also agreed to purchase our buildings in the Tourist District. The proceeds from the sale plus additional funds will be put toward the construction of a new Residential facility at the Hamilton Business Park in Mays Landing.

On August 15, 2016 the outpatient programs as well as admissions and administration relocated to the new centers at Bacharach Boulevard in Atlantic City and the Black Horse Pike in Pleasantville.

In late July of 2017, “Project Kick Start” opened at the Atlantic County Jail. This is the first jail based methadone/reentry program in the State of New Jersey.